


Celebration

by Rocky_T



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 14:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18896368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rocky_T/pseuds/Rocky_T
Summary: Mark and the Janeway women celebrate May 20.





	Celebration

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Seema for the inspiration, and beta.
> 
> Observant readers will recognize this as an outtake from my earlier stories, "Semper Fi" and "Keep the Home Fires Burning."

Bonnie Fisher, the associate Director of the Questor Group, entered without knocking. "Mark, I need to talk to you about the analysis for—" She stopped short when she saw him standing in front of his desk, putting on his jacket. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Mark said, not glancing up as he placed a stack of PADDs in his bag.

"It looks like you're getting ready to leave the office, but that can't be. It's not even 5 o'clock yet."

Mark kept his tone purposefully casual. "Well, I decided to head out early today, for a change." 

"Got a hot date?" Bonnie said jokingly.

"You could call it that," Mark said. He glanced around his office, making sure he'd taken everything he needed.

Bonnie's jaw dropped. "Really?" She quickly recovered. "What I meant to say is, I'm glad for you, Mark. You've spent far too many late evenings here, ever since--"

"Ever since _Voyager_ was declared lost," Mark finished for her.

"Yeah," Bonnie said, sympathy evident in her brown eyes. Ten years his senior, Bonnie was the self-described "mother hen" of their group and he knew she had been worrying about him a lot, even more so since the one year anniversary of _Voyager_ 's disappearance had come and gone and his grieving had shown no signs of abating. "Like I said, I'm glad to see you finally moving forward." Never one to hide her feelings, Bonnie was clearly torn between discretion and satisfying her curiosity, and Mark was not surprised when she said, "So, is this a casual date, or is she someone special?"

Mark permitted himself a small smile. "A very special lady, indeed."

"Well, I won't keep you then," Bonnie said as she turned toward the door.

"What did you want to ask me about the analysis?" Mark asked.

"It can wait till tomorrow." Bonnie made shooing motions at him. "Go, you should know not to keep a lady waiting!" She paused on the threshold. "I'll expect to hear full details in the morning. Well, as much as you feel comfortable sharing! Have a good night, Mark."

"You too," he said, but she was already gone.  
***

Mark carefully removed a tray of lasagna from the stasis unit and set it to warm, then prepared a salad and placed it on the counter. A pot of fresh brewed coffee wafted its inviting aroma through the air. 

He glanced at the chrono to check the time, and his glance fell on the old-fashioned paper calendar on the wall with today’s date, May 20, circled in red.

The front door signal sounded, indicating that his company had arrived. He smoothed his hand over his hair and went to let his guests in.

"Hello, Mark," Gretchen Janeway said. She kissed his cheek and handed him a large flat box. "I brought a little something for dessert." 

"Thanks, Gretchen, but there was no need for you to--"

She waved away his protest. "I know I didn't need to, I wanted to."

"Better just to shut up and give in gracefully," Phoebe advised as she gave him a hug. "Haven't you learned by now that it's futile to argue with any of the Janeway women?"

"You're right," Mark said with a grin. "I should know better. Come on in and sit down. Dinner will be ready in a few moments."

"Can I give you a hand?" Phoebe asked.

"Nope, I've got it all under control," Mark assured them, and true to his word, a short time later he placed the food on the table and they all began to eat.

They made light conversation until it was time for dessert. Then while Mark poured the coffee, Gretchen brought her box to the table and opened it to reveal a pan of caramel brownies.

"Kathryn's favorite," Mark said, and felt the tears begin to well up in his eyes.

"What else?" Gretchen said, her own eyes suspiciously bright.

"No getting maudlin," Phoebe admonished them both. She raised her mug of coffee in a toast. "We are gathered here today on Kathryn's birthday not to commemorate her death, but to celebrate her life."

"To Kathryn," Mark and Gretchen echoed.

Gretchen placed her mug carefully on the table. "Do you remember the time, when she was 9 years old, Kathryn lost a tennis tournament and walked all the way home in the rain…"

And so they spent the rest of the evening telling stories and reliving memories of the remarkable woman they had all loved and lost.


End file.
